Angela deFreitas, Contributor

The development of skills is being fast recognised as a key and critical component to develop a competent labour force. The message is clear, workforce readiness is key to individual and national prosperity.

Most governments in the Caribbean have put skills development high on the agenda as a specialised workforce will eventually translate to more foreign investments, reap the highest wages for workers and fast-track development.

Top priority

When companies interview prospective employees, they are looking for a candidate with the most compatible skills and competencies which match needs and the specific position to be filled. The person with the right mix will stand out from the rest based on expertise and experience. There is a possibility that their personality will fit in with the company.

Skills are the common denominator amongst the most successful workers anywhere in the world and in all sectors across the entire spectrum.

Dr Lawrence Jones, well-known career development expert in his book, Job Skills for the 21st Century, says, "Skills, you win; no skills, you lose. Your hope is that you have the skills an employer wants and that the employer will buy your skills, that is, hire you ... Your skills are marketable when employers will pay you to perform them."

Skill check

So what are skills? Why are they so important? Who would resist the need to develop themselves in as many and in as wide a range of skill areas as possible? Or is this concept just another of the buzz words of the 21st century? Far from it.

The 21st century workplace is increasingly a modern environment requiring a different approach to work and mind-set from workers and a clear recognition of the foundation skills.

Foundation skills

The foundation skills are the 17 essential areas in which all workers must reach a certain standard if they are to be successful in the work environment. These areas are reading, writing, mathematics, speaking, listening, creative thinking, problem-solving, decision-making, visualisation, social negotiation, leadership, teamwork, cultural diversity, self-esteem, self-management and responsibility.

These 17 areas were developed by Dr Jones from several high-level government commission reports prepared in the United States of America, which have been adopted and accepted internationally.

Four groups

These skill areas are broken down into four groups.

1. The Basic Skills are reading, writing, mathematics, speaking and listening. These relate to the fundamental necessity of a worker to show literacy and numeracy and to be able to locate, distil and understand information from a variety of sources. These include the computer/Internet and they must have the ability to communicate such information accurately. Speaking, listening and mathematical skills must also be up to standard.

2. Creative thinking, problem-solving skills, decision-making skills and visualisation are classified as The Thinking Skills. Here the assessment is made on the value of a worker in a company from the ability to think clearly, solve problems, make sound decisions based on the pros and cons presented, and also through the ability to visualise outcomes from different situations.

3. The people skills relate to the social being which we are in respect of being friendly, showing respect for others, being able to negotiate while seeing things from another perspective and demonstrating leadership and teamwork skills.

Understanding and accepting cultural diversity are aspects of an employee's personality which will determine whether or not they will be able to act as part of a team and respect the rights of others in the workplace whatever their background or beliefs. These are also important people skills.

4. Personal qualities are self-esteem, self-management and responsibility and are about exercising self-management through the setting, monitoring and achieving of personal goals and showing responsibility and high standards of personal achievement, attendance, honesty, energy and optimism.

Other skills

All workers must also develop what are known as marketable, transferable and motivated skills if they are to be successful in their chosen career path. Such skills will drive you to success. They will ensure that employers are interested in hiring you. You carry skills from one job and used in another and which excite and stimulate your interest.

Having a clear picture of what skills are required in the career in which you are interested, and in the marketplace generally will help when seeking employment. Writing a résumé, having a positive job interview, and finding occupations that use similar skills, not only locally but also globally.

There will always be jobs which can be done by anyone once they are told what to do, such as car washers, security guards, common labourers, office helpers and messengers. There are, however, good reasons to believe that if you develop what are considered marketable, transferable and motivated skills, in addition to the 17 foundation skills, success will follow.

Skills were always in style, but even more so now as the world recognises the importance of developing the right skills in the right way.

Angela deFreitas is general manager of CHOICES Career Advice, and publisher of The Career Key (Caribbean Edition) www.choicesonlinejm.com. She can be contacted at info@choicesonlinejm.com.

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